Jurong Island project to manage stray dogs without culling shows results

KELLY NG Today Online 22 Feb 17;

SINGAPORE — After two years, a project to control the population of stray dogs on Jurong Island without culling them has borne fruit, with about 70 per cent of the pack sterilised.

A total of 168 of the 504 neutered dogs have also found new homes on the mainland with the help of animal welfare groups.

But the question of how to manage the dogs, the majority of which are now sheltered in holding areas instead of freely roaming, remains.

The Trap-Neuter-Release-and-Manage (TNRM) programme — a partnership between JTC Corporation and animal welfare groups, namely the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD) and Action for Singapore Dogs — was launched in December 2014 to manage the population. There are about 400 strays on the reclaimed island that is also home to more than 100 petrochemical companies.

“The stray population now has stabilised, it won’t increase any more because there are much fewer puppies … Eventually, the dogs will die out because they have been sterilised and they won’t give birth any more,” said SOSD president Siew Tuck Wah.

On Feb 15, SOSD shared a video on the project’s progress on its Facebook page.

Under the programme, dogs are first trapped and kept in a holding area while awaiting sterilisation. Dogs at this first holding area are often fearful, lost and choose to shut people out. “Some (stray) dogs grow up without any human contact at all, so they are very scared of people … This is where we slowly earn their trust,” said Dr Siew.

Those that are sterilised will be shifted to a second holding area where they are cared for, socialised and rehabilitated to assess if they can be rehomed.

Depending on their temperament, some dogs are released onto the island after sterilisation, while others are rehomed, said Ms Madeline Chia, a volunteer with Noah’s Ark Cares, which came on board the project two years ago. “Whoever can get a home easily or quicker than other dogs because of their temperament, or their age, we will try as best as possible to find them a home,” she said.

While the eventual goal is to release all the sterilised dogs and let them roam freely, most are currently kept in captivity (at the two holdings areas) to be “conditioned” — among other things, they need to be taught where they can get food and which high-traffic areas to avoid.

“Companies on the island must also be aware of what to expect, how to respond if a dog enters their site, how to prevent that from happening,” said Ms Chia. “It is a long process, like getting neighbours to live together harmoniously.”

According to an update on SOSD’s Facebook page last Thursday, about 100 sterilised dogs have been released onto the island.

Collectively, SOSD and Noah’s Ark Cares now have six members on staff at the island — four full-time and two part-time — and depend on about five to six volunteers over the weekend. This team is in charge of cleaning up the holding areas, and feeding and spending time with the dogs, including those allowed to roam around the island.

While those involved hope to boost the manpower, they are limited by the number of passes available to access the island and the processes of having to apply for them, which can often take up to a week.

Such limitations and inaccessibility also pose challenges for the animal welfare groups, especially in times of emergency. “It is not like working on the mainland, where you can easily get to a vet … Here I either need to get a vet with a pass onto the island, to transport the dogs out of the island, which is quite challenging,” said Ms Chia.

Eventually, the animal welfare groups hope to establish a community of dog carers among the people who work at Jurong Island.

Said Dr Siew: “It is tougher to do a TNRM project in Jurong Island because it is an industrial island … It is not like Pulau Ubin, where we have had another very successful TNRM project, and that is easier because the dogs are in a community, a kampong, where people will play with them and feed them.”

Between October 2014 and May last year, SOSD sterilised 74 dogs at Pulau Ubin. The population also fell from more than 100 dogs to over 70, over the same period.

Acres president and executive director Louis Ng said his organisation is in discussion with JTC to push the TNRM model to more locations on the mainland.

“(Before this,) dogs have always been culled in Jurong Island, that is why we set up this TNRM model … TNRM has worked by far. Whether we choose culling or another option, without details and proper studies being done, it is hard to decide which is the best course of action,” said Mr Ng, who is also a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon.

He added: “Based on the estimates, there are 6,000 to 10,000 stray dogs left in Singapore now. But this culling does not seem to end. If it was going to work, it would have worked long ago.”

Affirming the TNRM project in Jurong Island, JTC’s director of facilities and estates management Mark Koh said: “We are glad that this partnership with the animal welfare groups … together with the full support from companies on Jurong Island, has enabled us to better manage the stray dog situation on Jurong Island and prevent it from affecting those working there.”

MONTHLY COSTS OF RUNNING THE PROGRAMME:
Salaries: S$18,000
Food for dogs: S$14,000
Trapping: S$8,000
Sterilisation: S$6,000
Medical: S$4,000
Total estimated monthly: S$50,000

Read more!

Singapore Budget 2017: Singapore’s environment makes it a clear winner

Panellists at post-Budget roundtable welcome the focus on green issues
Chia Yan Min Straits Times 23 Feb 17;

Singapore's clean environment is a competitive advantage over other Asian cities and a strong draw for top talent from around the world.

Panellists at a post-Budget roundtable yesterday underlined the economic benefits of the Republic's clean environment in welcoming the Budget's focus on green issues. The event was organised by The Straits Times in partnership with United Overseas Bank, and brought together four panellists representing different sectors to discuss the Budget.

Panellist Gerard Ee, president of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants, said he was pleased that the Budget, delivered on Monday by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, did not neglect the environment.

"The competitive advantage Singapore has over other bustling cities in Asia is our clean environment," said Mr Ee, who is also chairman of the Charity Council.

"We want it to be so liveable that it is the preferred choice for people and their families to be based here."

The Budget contained several measures that reflected a strong emphasis on the environment. It introduced a carbon tax to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with global efforts to combat climate change. It also restructured diesel taxes to a volume-based duty to encourage a reduction in diesel consumption, as well as adjusted two incentive schemes to encourage the use of cleaner vehicles.

Mr Ee and his fellow panellists - UOB economist Jimmy Koh, Garena group president Nick Nash and NTUC assistant secretary-general Cham Hui Fong - discussed a wide range of other issues, including the misconception that Singapore is not an innovative society.

"Sometimes, we short-change ourselves," said Mr Ee. "(As an auditor) I have seen some things my clients have created - but these innovations are often created for large multinationals and not credited to Singapore companies.

"We need to ferret out these stories of (innovative companies) and give Singaporeans the confidence... We should also help them to scale up."

Mr Nash said his firm, tech company Garena, is a good example of a home-grown business made good.

The company was founded in a "little shophouse" in 2009 and has since become one of South-east Asia's largest tech unicorns with more than 5,000 employees.

"All of our technology is by and large built right here in Singapore...

"There is a lot of innovation happening in Singapore, we probably don't talk enough about it," added Mr Nash.

More roundtable coverage wil be in The Sunday Times this weekend.

Read more!

Malaysia: Protecting proboscis monkeys

The Star 23 Feb 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Local and international experts are collaborating to come up with a plan to protect the proboscis monkey in Sabah.

Malaysian and international scientists, government agencies and industry players will congregate at the three-day Proboscis Monkey Workshop, which starts today, to draft a policy for the purpose.

The workshop is organised by the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) and Sabah Wildlife Department.

DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens said several experts would propose recommendations at the event for the primate’s conservation based on findings from an extensive five-year research on the endangered species.

A proboscis monkey action plan for Sabah would be drafted following the recommendations, he said.

“I hope the plan will be adopted by the state government to save the species endemic to Borneo, which is threatened by habitat loss and forest fragmentation in Sabah,” Dr Goossens said.

On the research, he said both the centre and department had collected crucial information on the primate’s population in Sabah, including data on demography, behaviour, genetics and health over the past five years.

Surveys were carried out on proboscis monkeys along several rivers such as the Kinabatangan, Segama, Klias and Sugut, with many blood samples collected for genetic analyses.

“Information on genetic isolation, lack of gene flow between populations, risks of inbreeding and extinction will be discussed during the workshop,” Dr Goossens said.

He said the workshop will see input from relevant stakeholders – government department officers, representatives from NGOs, tourism and palm oil industries, local communities, scientists and experts on proboscis monkeys – to formulate pragmatic solutions to preserve the proboscis monkey.

These researches were made possible with the support of Yayasan Sime Darby, which had committed RM3.96mil over six years since 2011.

DGFC’s work on the proboscis monkey is one of three crucial projects being conducted by the research organisation on endangered, endemic species to Borneo found in Sabah’s Kinabatangan area. Its other two vital research projects are on the Sunda clouded leopard and Bornean banteng.


Tackle proboscis monkey habitat loss
The Star 2 Mar 17;

KOTA KINABALU: A long-term conservation plan for Sabah’s iconic proboscis monkeys will be needed to address the primate’s habitat loss in the eastern and northern part of the state.

Wildlife experts agree that the proboscis monkey population was most threatened by habitat loss from the clearing of mangroves in east coast districts of Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau.

Research NGO Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) director Dr Benoit Goossens said a similar habitat loss was also affecting proboscis monkey populations in northern Kudat, Pitas and Kota Belud districts.

“The action plan will have to address other issues affecting them, including illegal hunting,” he said yesterday.

DGFC and the Sabah Wildlife Department held a three-day conference last month to get input from dozens of wildlife experts and researchers for the action plan on the primates.

Goossens said the preservation of mangrove forests must be implemented now.

He said that researchers also agreed on the need for a population survey of the primates in Sabah, which was now estimated to number about 6,000.

DGFC was collaborating with the department in drafting the action plan, which was expected to be launched later this year.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga had said the management plan for the proboscis monkeys would be the latest of the conservation strategies initiated by the state.

The other species that needed to be watched and protected are the Bornean elephant, orang utan and Sumatran rhino.

Read more!

Indonesia: Conversion of peatland concessions into conservation areas commences

Hans Nicholas Jong The Jakarta Post 22 Feb 17;

The Indonesian government has started the process of converting concessions and plantations in peatlands into conservation areas in its effort to prevent peat fires, which occur every year across the country. The conversion was targeted to cover 2.5 million hectares of land.

The peat conversion plan has been laid out in four ministerial regulations issued as a follow-up of the revision of a government regulation on peatland protection and the government’s peatland hydrological area (KHG) map.

Recently completed by the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s environmental pollution and damage control directorate general, the map divides Indonesia’s peatland areas into two categories, namely conservation and production.

According to the map, there should be 12.4 million ha of conservation areas and 12.2 million ha of production areas.

Plantations in peatland that were converted into concessions will be converted back to their original functions, the ministry said.

Signed by Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar on Wednesday, the ministerial regulations stipulate that concession owners are prohibited from planting on areas designated as conservation areas.

For companies already growing commodities on the conservation areas, the government has allowed them to harvest their commodities only once.

“After that, they are not allowed to plant in the areas. They are also required to recover [the peat areas] and allow them to be used for conservation purposes,” the ministry’s sustainable forest management director-general, Ida Bagus Putera Parthama, said.

The plan will affect at least 101 concession owners, but no further details were provided about the number of plantation owners that will be affected by the changes. (ebf)

Read more!

Indonesia: Hot spots reappear in Riau as dry season approaches

Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 21 Feb 17;

While other parts of Indonesia are experiencing flooding and heavy downpours, Riau is bracing for the dry season as a number of hot spots have been detected across the province.

According to the Pekanbaru Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency’s (BMKG) Terra and Aqua satellites, 12 hot spots have been detected in Riau.

Four hot spots were detected in Tanah Putih district in Rokan Hilir regency, three in Siak Sri Indrapura and Sungai Apit districts in Siak regency, two in Mandah district in Indragiri Hilir regency, two in Bunut and Kuala Kampar districts in Pelalawan regency and one in Tapung district in Kampar regency.

“Of the 12 hot spots, seven of them were considered hot spots with a confidence level of 70 percent,” said head of data and information division at BMKG Pekanbaru, Slamet Riyadi, on Tuesday.

Slamet said the number of hot spots in the province on Tuesday had increased from the previous day, which recorded seven hot spots.

“As predicted, the first cycle of the dry season in Riau will occur from mid-February to mid-March. The hot spot reappearance marks the beginning of the dry season,” he added.

Separately, Riau joint task force chief Brig. Gen. Nurendi has called on his personnel to work hand-in-hand with local authorities to handle forest fires as the dry season approaches. (trw)


Riau BMKG Records 12 Hotspots
Tempo 21 Feb 16;

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency Station in Pekanbaru stated that the Tera and Aqua satellite has recorded 12 hotspots believed to indicate forest fire in a number of regions in Riau. The number is higher compared to previous days, when the satellite only recorded six hotspots.

"The hotspots were monitored on 7:00 AM [Western Indonesia Time]," said BMKG Pekanbaru Chief Sugarin on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.

Sugarin asserted that Rokal Hilir remains as the largest contributor to the number of hotspots with four hotspots, followed by Siak (three hotspots), Indragiri Hilir (two hotspots), Pelalawan (two hotspots), and Kampar (one hotspot).

Sugarin added that seven of the hotspots will potentially turn into forest fires.

Sugarin explained that in general, Riau is experiencing sunny weather with occurrences of occasional overcast, while light to medium intensity rain followed by thunderstorm and gale wind occurred in Central Riau.

Sugarin said that forest fires have been happening in several regions in the province within the last week. Around 20 hectares of peatland in Tanah Putih and Rokan Hilir were on fire, along with peatland in Kermutan and Teluk Meranti in Pelalawan Regency.

Read more!

Singapore should have wildlife control down to a science

Natalia Huang For The Straits Times 22 Feb 17;

As land is scarce, should wildlife growth be regulated, like cars? Let an animal management committee decide.

Where there is limited space, intensive management of the things taking up that space is needed.

Roads are limited in Singapore, and so the number of cars is managed intensively. Our options are to either build more roads or have fewer cars. We don't have the space for many more roads, so we need to have fewer cars.

Similarly, wildlife habitat is limited in Singapore. Our options are to either create more wildlife habitats or have less wildlife. Thankfully, we can choose both of these options, and more.

Every few months, public servants evaluate how many new cars should be allowed on the roads. The Land Transport Authority's vehicle quota system "regulates the rate of growth of vehicles on our roads, at a rate that can be sustained by developments (of future roads)", according to its website.

It does this with careful calculations and tried-and-tested methods, not with any sudden moves and certainly not in response to any complaints.

Why not apply this same stringent level of calculation to managing our wildlife?

We might be able to regulate the rate of growth of wildlife in our reserves (or facilitate them to do so themselves) at a rate that can be sustained by future human population growth. An undisputed first necessity is scientific research so that we shift our responses from knee-jerk and short term to scientifically sound and long term.

FORM AN INFORMED COMMITTEE

The vehicle quota system was probably created by an informed group backed by research. We need an informed committee for animal management issues in Singapore.

The role of this committee would be to come up with a united and scientific approach towards animal management across Singapore. It would assess the current situation, devise and oversee relevant research, such as alternatives to culling, trial those alternatives and implement management actions.

Wildlife is more complex than cars, and human-wildlife conflict even more complex. This means there are different topics to deal with, such as wildlife behaviour, governance, scientific research and public behaviour. This committee needs scientist representatives from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), National Parks Board (NParks), Wildlife Reserves Singapore, academia (comprising primate/boar/bird researchers and human behaviour change experts), Nature Society (Singapore) and animal activist group Acres, just to name a few. They should be carefully selected to ensure balanced representation. There already exist successful working groups for pangolins and pythons.

FUND THE RESEARCH

A major role of this committee would be to generate research projects which can address the immediate and long-term needs of animal management in Singapore. Any decision about animal management - especially culling - should be made by a committee which informs itself through scientific research and representative expertise.

Research could include alternatives to culling, effectiveness of each alternative, impact of culling (such as loss of genetic diversity), ability of wildlife species to manage their own numbers, methods to dissuade animals from leaving forested areas, public education, ways to alter human behaviour, and future rates of growth or loss of wildlife and habitat space.

Creative alternatives need to be conceived, tested and trialled.

The call for scientific research is not new. What is needed is funding, a scientific committee to define the research and dedicated animal management researchers. Has animal management become enough of a priority to draw funding from government coffers?

'SEAMLESS' WILDLIFE LAWS

What exacerbates the local animal management issue is legislation. If a monkey sits in a tree in a nature reserve, it is under NParks' protection. The moment it steps outside the reserve, it is under the jurisdiction of AVA. Each government department might respond differently to the monkey and to public complaints about it. We need a unified set of laws for all wildlife in Singapore.

Wildlife laws also need to be revised to reflect the current state of affairs. For example, the common mynah and daurian starling are no longer common in Singapore, but they are listed as pest species in the Wild Animals and Birds Act. This Act refers to bird damage to crops, which was relevant in 1965, when the law was created, but not in 2017.

Another example is that of the red junglefowl, which is listed as endangered in the Singapore Red Data Book, our national assessment of the threatened status of our native animals.

This native chicken is also noisy; it is unclear whether the authorities would allow a threatened species like this to be culled. Interestingly, culling of domestic chickens may benefit our junglefowl by removing the opportunity for them to interbreed and hybridise, so this may be an action the committee could explore.

MAKE MORE SPACE

Remember, our options were to create more wildlife habitats or have less wildlife. Creating more wildlife habitats may not be that easy as developments vie for space and continue to intrude into forested areas. Wildlife habitat keeps decreasing but the number of animals probably stays the same.

The obvious move is to stop encroaching into forested areas and to protect the wildlife habitat which already exists. This would provide space for wildlife to persist.

The committee might be able to examine the carrying capacity of Singapore's natural spaces. Carrying capacity is the maximum number of animals an area can support, and this is determined through scientific research. Increasing carrying capacity could be possible by creating new habitat, such as restoring degraded forested areas, planting green corridors and officially protecting natural spaces.

To plan for the future, the committee could work with the Urban Redevelopment Authority to generate an animal management plan which incorporates future plans for land-use, developments and natural spaces as well as projected wildlife growth.

HAVE LESS WILDLIFE?

If the decision is for less wildlife, culling may be an option to remove problematic wildlife.

It is a chosen option by many countries where animals threaten human livelihoods and lives. Animals can become over-abundant if they adapt well to urban areas (for example, crows, pigeons, monkeys) or because they have no predators (for example, wild boar).

When these animals damage property or forested areas, culling can be effective to reduce their numbers. However, culling must only be conducted following research, a thorough assessment of alternatives, as part of a long-term solution and as a joint decision by the committee.

EDUCATE THE MASSES

People living in Singapore are a logical and fair bunch. We can understand the need for a vehicle quota system and, albeit reluctantly, certificates of entitlement.

Teach us about animals - why they do what they do and what we can do to avoid conflicts. Teach us that part of living in Singapore involves living with wildlife, and that this is something to be proud of. Charge those who enjoy our wildlife to write letters of compliment to, well, complement complaint letters.

We also respect systems. Come up with an animal management system which is backed by expertise and research, and commit to it. When complaints arise, respond in a united manner backed by the animal management committee and system.

Ultimately, Singapore is a modified landscape and it is up to us to manage it - for cars, people or wildlife. We need to address the animal management issue in a united and scientific manner, instead of behaving like (and creating) headless chickens.

The writer is principal ecologist at Ecology Matters, a consultancy providing ecological advice and biodiversity studies for environmental impact assessments.

Read more!

Malaysia: My Chini 1.0 to raise awareness on need to save Tasik Chini

New Straits Times 21 Feb 17;

KUANTAN: Conservation efforts to save Tasik Chini, the second-largest freshwater lake in the country, from the threat of development should be intensifed to ensure that it does not suffer the same fate as Tasik Mentiga, said an environmental activist.

My Chini 1.0 Programme director Nurizzah Ismail said the natural lake is currently facing threat to its ecosystem and natural environment by development surrounding the area.

"Not many people are aware that Malaysia has three natural lakes - Tasik Bera, Tasik Chini and Tasik Mentiga - located in Pahang and that Tasik Mentiga has dried up and considered extinct.

"Recognising the threat faced by Tasik Chini, and to prevent it from suffering the same fate as Tasik Mentiga, MyChini 1.0 programme will be organising programmes to raise awareness among the younger generation on the issue," she told Bernama.

Nurizzah said its efforts also received support from various non governmental organisations as well as assistance from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)'s Tasik Chini Research Centre, which has been conducting research in the area.

Among the NGOs involved in the MyChini 1.0 programme are; Umno Overseas Clubs Alumni (Akuln), Najib Razak Club (NRC11), Kelas Kaseh, Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) and UiTM Student Representative Council Alumni (Pimpin).

"We hope the awareness programmes will benefit the future generation who may not have the opportunithy to enjoy the beauty of Tasik Chini if conservation efforts are not carried out earnestly from now," she said.

The 202-hectare Tasik Chini in Pekan district of Pahang covers 700 hectares of swamps and forest.

The lake comprises a series of 12 lakes, dubbed as "sea' by the Jakun tribe of the Orang Asli community, and is also listed under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) biosphere reserve.

About 51 lowland plant species, 15 swamp plant species, 25 water plant species and 87 freshwater fish species abound in the area which is famous for its wild lotus flowers that thrive there. -- Bernama

Read more!

Indonesia: Two additional helicopters needed to anticipate Riau`s forest fires

Antara 22 Feb 17;

Pekanbaru (ANTARA News) - Two additional helicopters are needed in Riau Province, Sumatra Island, to anticipate the annual land and forest fires, Riaus Forest and Land Emergency Alert Task Force Commander Brig. Gen. Nurendi stated.

"We have, so far, had one Bell 412 helicopter, while the areas that should be covered are large enough. In anticipating an emergency situation caused by land and forest fires, we need at least two helicopters," he noted here, Tuesday.

The two helicopters will be stationed in Pekanbaru and Dumai, he said, adding that the Bell 412 helicopter, provided by the Environment and Forestry Ministry, has been used to conduct air patrols and water bombings since the end of January 2017.

Nurendi said he has officially requested the deployment of the two helicopters.

"We have even requested for an aircraft that can be used to conduct weather modification operations for creating artificial rain," the Military Region Command (Korem) 031/Wira Bima commander stated.

To optimize the task forces efforts to anticipate the threats of this years land and forest fires, Nurendi revealed that the helicopters, owned by the local air force base and pulp and paper firms, were expected to be involved in an emergency situation.

Riau Provinces Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has detected seven hotspots in five districts on Tuesday.

(Reported by Anggi Romadhoni/Uu.R013/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Read more!

Indonesia: Floods hit 54 areas in Jakarta

Antara 22 Feb 17;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Incessant heavy rains that had lashed since around 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday, triggered flooding that inundated 54 areas in Indonesias capital city of Jakarta.

Flooding was reported among other things in Grogol, with floodwaters reaching up to 30 centimeters in height; Gunung Sahari, up to 1.5 meters; and Kelapa Gading, Kemang, Cipinang Melayu, Kebayoran Baru, and Cawang, among other areas, according to information from the Jakarta Polices Traffic Management Center.

The flooding has disrupted traffic and caused congestion on several roads.

Heavy rains and thundering are forecast to continue until Wednesday (Feb 22) in Jakarta, Bogor, Bekasi, Depok, and Tangerang, Hary Tirto Djatmiko, spokesman of the meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency, stated.

Major flooding was also reported in Depok and Bekasi, forcing several inhabitants to move to higher grounds.(*)

BNPB advises Jakarta to brace for floods
The Jakarta Post 21 Feb 17;

Heavy rainfall since the early morning has led to floods in several areas of Jakarta.

Water was rising at several flood gates at 6 a.m., with most alarming level at Karet in South Jakarta, Pasar Ikan in North Jakarta and Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta.

Places nearby have been inundated with water, including the Cipinang Melayu and Cawang underpasses, both in East Jakarta.

“People should remain on alert and brace for floods,” said National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho in a press statement.

The rain and floods, however, have not stopped a group of people who planned to stage a rally in front of the House of Representatives demanding the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama.

The Jakarta Police have reported that 200 people are already in front of the House complex in Senayan, Jakarta, as of 7:34 a.m.

BNPB provides real time information on the flood status in the capital via petabencana.id. (wit)

Read more!

Indonesia: Activists help dolphin find way back to Mahakam River

N. Adri The Jakarta Post 22 Feb 17;

A pesut (Irrawaddy dolphin) that was found trapped in a swamp in Sangkuliman village, Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan, is now free after local animal activists facilitated the mammal’s return to the Mahakam River.

“According to locals, the pesut had been trapped in the area for two weeks,” said Innal Rachman, an activist from Save the Mahakam Dolphin.

Following up on the report, the Rare Aquatic Species Indonesia (RASI) conservation foundation and Save the Mahakam Dolphin sent five people to check on the condition of the mammal. The East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) also deployed a team to assist the dolphin.

RASI researcher Danielle Kreb said the dolphin did not immediately return to the Mahakam River after the activists made a way for it to swim. The animal instead played around with the activists.

Kreb said the RASI team would check again on Wednesday to see whether the dolphin had managed to return permanently to the Mahakam River. Activists will lead it to the river if it cannot find its own way back to its habitat.

This is not the first time a dolphin has been found trapped in the village area. “In 2002, there was a pesut trapped in Sangkuliman,” said Innal. In 2009, Innal added, a dolphin and its baby were also found trapped in the swamp. Villagers and the RASI team were able to save the dolphins and return them to the Mahakam River. (trw)

Read more!

Indonesia: Foreign researchers ‘steal’ Indonesia's genetic resources

Hans Nicholas Jong The Jakarta Post 22 Feb 17;

Govt may incorporate clause on biopiracy in revision of 1990 bill on natural resources

As one of the most species-rich countries on earth, Indonesia attracts researchers from around the world to study the archipelago’s unique ecosystems, which contain a diverse array of flora and fauna.

Indonesia, for instance, possesses 10 percent of the world’s flowering species, 12 percent of the world’s mammals and 17 percent of the total species of birds, despite occupying only 1.3 percent of the world’s land surface.

However, this rich biodiversity makes Indonesia a haven for biopiracy, a practice where natural resources and traditional knowledge are being exploited without consent.

“There are lots of cases we’ve discovered that have occurred through research and cooperation where we haven’t realized that our genetic resources were being stolen,” said Rosichon Ubaidillah, the head of zoology at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) biology research department.

He cited various examples, including varieties of Indonesian eggplants, the genetics of which have been mapped by the Netherlands. “There’s an Indonesian researcher whose study was funded [by the Netherlands]. He unwittingly collected samples of eggplants, which now have now been genetically mapped by the Netherlands. This is very sad,” Rosichon said.

Last November, Rosichon requested that his student not accept any scholarships from the German government because it required the student to collect samples of Indonesian insects in order to find new antibiotics.

“I told my student that she had two options, to risk [our genetic resources being stolen] or to find another school. She finally applied for an Australian scholarship because Australia doesn’t require us to bring samples to the country,” he said.

Foreign countries, he added, are also allegedly trying to collect genetic samples through other means, such as cooperation with researchers in Eastern Indonesia, where foreign researchers come to teach Eastern Indonesia’s researchers.

Rosichon cited an example concerning Khairun University in Ternate, North Maluku. “The university once worked with foreign researchers to teach them how to collect and conserve marine biodiversity, but they don’t even have marine biology faculty or equipment,” said Rosichon.

These incidents are only the tip of the iceberg as many biopiracy cases go undetected with little to no regulation on how to protect genetic resources in the country.

Foreign researchers, for instance, could disguise themselves as tourists and go to national parks to collect samples of tree bark, logs, dried leaves and even soil that contains living microorganisms. The samples would be brought to their countries, isolated, studied and produced as medicine or other products.

As there is no clear regulation protecting genetic resources, the House of Representatives is currently revising Law No. 5/1990 on natural resources and ecosystem conservation.

“The current law only regulates information about species and ecosystems. In the latest draft of the revision bill, genetic resources have been included,” Indonesian Communication Forum on Community Forestry (FKKM) executive secretary Andri Santosa, who has been involved in the deliberation of the bill, said.

The bill, which is included in the 2017 priority list, will lay out the legal framework for protection of genetic resources in the country, such as sanctions for biopiracy perpetrators, he said.

Read more!

Images of new bleaching on Great Barrier Reef heighten fears of coral death

Exclusive: Coral bleaching found near Palm Island as unusually warm waters are expected off eastern Australia, with areas hit in last year’s event in mortal danger
Elle Hunt The Guardian 19 Feb 17;

The embattled Great Barrier Reef could face yet more severe coral bleaching in the coming month, with areas badly hit by last year’s event at risk of death.

Images taken by local divers last week and shared exclusively with the Guardian by the Australian Marine Conservation Society show newly bleached corals discovered near Palm Island.

Most of the Great Barrier Reef has been placed on red alert for coral bleaching for the coming month by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Its satellite thermal maps have projected unusually warm waters off eastern Australia after an extreme heatwave just over a week ago saw land temperatures reach above 47C in parts of the country.

According to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, sea surface temperatures from Cape Tribulation to Townsville have been up to 2C higher than normal for the time of year for more than a month.

The NOAA Coral Reef Watch’s forecast for the next four weeks has placed an even higher level alert on parts of the far northern, northern and central reef, indicating mortality is likely.

Corals south of Cairns, in the Whitsundays and parts of the far northern reef that were badly hit by last year’s mass bleaching event are at fatal risk.

Imogen Zethoven, the Great Barrier Reef’s campaign director for the AMCS, said the projections for the next four weeks, plus evidence of new coral bleaching, were “extremely concerning”.

The bleaching that occurred over eight to nine months of last year was the worst-ever on record for the Great Barrier Reef, with as much as 85% of coral between Cape York and Lizard Island dying. Twenty-two per cent of corals over the entire reef are dead.

Zethoven pointed to projections by NOAA that severe bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef would occur annually by 2043 if nothing was done to reduce emissions.

“The reef will be gone before annual severe bleaching,” she said. “It won’t survive even biennial bleaching.”

The $1bn reef fund announced by the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, in June last year was a “cynical rebadging exercise” undercut by its support for fossil fuel initiatives such as Adani’s Carmicheal coalmine “that will spell catastrophe for the reef”, Zethoven said.

“There’s no doubt about that anymore,” she said. “They know what they are doing and they should come clean with the Australian public that they have no interest in the long-term survival of the Great Barrier Reef.

“To the average person on the street, that’s what it looks like. And if the government thinks that’s not the case, they’re out of touch.”

In December last year the government’s Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund granted Adani “conditional approval” to $1bn loan for its Carmicheal coalmine and rail project in central Queensland, which could produce 60m tons of coal annually for 60 years.

Warmer ocean temperatures brought about by climate change is a key factor in coral bleaching. Polling suggests that more than two-thirds of Australians believe the reef’s condition should be declared a national emergency.

Zethoven said the government had made “a very deliberate decision to go down the coal road”, despite it jeopardising the reef’s future prospects as well as the 70,000 jobs in regional Queensland that depend on it.

John Rumney, a diving operator based in Port Douglas, said the “commercial advantage” to saving the reef went beyond jobs. Much of coastal Queensland was “majorly invested” in reef tourism, he said.

The federal government’s measures to save the reef were hypocrisy and lip service, he said, when it was simultaneously “actively supporting the cause of the cancer – the worst cause”.

“It’s immoral that those of us who are making our living from a healthy environment are paying taxes to subsidise infrastructure that’s going to cause climate change in a major way for the next 50 years,” he said. “If this all goes ahead, we’re basically dooming our tourism industry.”

Rumney said he had seen new and extensive bleaching of corals from Cairns to Townsville.

“There are definite large areas of mortality. It’s just the next depressing moment. Before, the reef has bleached and recovered but now we’re talking about how often is it bleaching and what percentage is left.”

Areas that suffered in last year’s event were now less resilient and there seemed to be less coral strong enough to spawn.

Climate change-induced mass bleaching increasingly resembled a catastrophe the reef would be unable to recover from, he said.

“It’s weaker, just like humans,” Rumney said. “If you’re already down and out with a cold or cancer, you’re less resilient – the next thing that comes along is going to knock you back more.

“It’s the continual onslaught that will eventually kill the reef.”


Coral bleaching again reported off Cairns
Dominic Geiger, The Cairns Post 21 Feb 17;

CORAL bleaching is being reported from some of the most visited reefs off Cairns for the second time in as many years.

Film maker and James Cook University researcher Richard Fitzpatrick said bleaching had been detected at Michaelmas Cay, Green Island, Upolu Reef, Batt Reef, and Vlasoff Cay.

He said that included locations filmed for David Attenborough’s recent documentary series Great Barrier Reef.

“We have reported it to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and they have told us they have bleaching reports all the way to the Whitsundays,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.

The reef from Cairns south managed to escape the more severe bleaching during last year’s event, while the region off Port Douglas to the Torres Strait suffered heavy coral die off.

While the bleached reefs are not yet dead, Mr Fitzpatrick said it was a “wake up call” for people from all parts of the world to take action on climate change.

“The only way to combat climate change, at the moment Australia is having a debate over renewable energy, but there should be no debate, we should be making the change now,” he said.

GBRMPA is expected to issue a statement on the new bleaching event later today.


New photos reveal fresh bleaching at beleaguered Great Barrier Reef
Gavin Haines The Telegraph 20 Feb 17;

A heatwave that has brought record-breaking temperatures to parts of Australia – leading to bush fires, power outages and a rise in deaths from heat stress – could have a devastating effect on the Great Barrier Reef.

Though the mercury is set to drop this week, scientists fear the extreme weather event could place stress on the underwater ecosystem, which is still reeling from the worst bleaching events in its history.

Bleaching happens when corals become stressed by high water temperatures, which happened on a massive scale in 2016 when an underwater heatwave ravaged the 1,500-mile reef.

Scientists claim 93 per cent of the reef was affected last year and that 22 per cent of its coral had died as a result. The same scientists now fear the reef could come under attack once again as parts of Australia bake in temperatures exceeding 47C.

According to the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), which has published photographs of its findings, newly bleached corals were discovered last week near Townsville, Queensland and around the Whitsundays.

The waters off eastern Australia are unusually warm for this time of the year, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has placed vast swathes of the Great Barrier Reef on red alert (Alert Level 1) for the next four weeks, meaning coral bleaching is likely.

Parts of the far northern, northern and central reef have been placed on Alert Level 2, indicating mortality is likely. Corals south of Cairns, in the Whitsundays and in parts of the far northern reef, that were badly hit last year, are at mortal risk.

“Signs of new coral bleaching in February, plus the likelihood of extensive severe bleaching and even mortality in the next four weeks, is extremely concerning,” said Imogen Zethoven of AMCS.

“Last year we witnessed the worst bleaching event on record for our reef. Over the entire reef, 22 per cent of corals are dead.”

Around 1.9 million people visit the Great Barrier Reef annually, contributing A$5.6 billion (£2.7billion) to the local economy and supporting 69,000 jobs. However, Australia’s biggest tourism asset appears to be in grave danger due to climate change, which campaigners claim is being exacerbated by the Australian coal industry.

“The government must stop special treatment for the coal industry,” warned Zethoven. “Climate change will be catastrophic for our reef unless we urgently move to cut pollution. We cannot afford to risk such a valuable national treasure.”

In 2016, Telegraph Travel reported how many of the sites used to film the series, Great Barrier Reef, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, had succumbed to coral bleaching.

“We actually went out to the same locations where we filmed a lot of David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef series and found significant bleaching over many, many species,” said cameraman and marine biologist, Richard Fitzpatrick. “It was pretty shocking.”

In the hit BBC series, Sir David forewarned about the threats facing the Great Barrier Reef, which in 2015 was spared a place on Unesco’s list of endangered heritage sites.

“The Great Barrier Reef is in grave danger,” said the television naturalist. “The twin perils brought by climate change – an increase in the temperature of the ocean and its acidity – threaten its very existence. If they continue to rise at the present rate, the reef will be gone in decades and that would be a global catastrophe.”

Should I cancel my dive holiday?

Despite the bleak outlook, some dive sites are holding up well.

“A lot of the live-aboard sites are on the edge of the reef, and are flushed by oceanic currents, so they are actually probably the most resilient parts of the reef,” said Fitzpatrick.

Rather than abandoning trips to the Great Barrier Reef, according to reef naturalist, Paul O’Dowd, tourists should consider visiting sooner rather than later.

“My advice to anyone wishing to see the reef is that they get over in the near future not the far,” he said. “It is still spectacular, in many ways, and any reputable operator will have a few relatively unscathed sites on their mooring portfolio.

“You will still see scores of brilliantly coloured fish. However, the issue of whether we have anything to show in a decade, after potentially more bleaching events, is less positive.”

Read more!